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Lorenzo Alexander staying with Washington Redskins (updated)

Lorenzo Alexander is ready to make the switch to outside linebacker, especially after the Redskins showed their commitment to him today with a three-year contract that could be worth as much as $3.8 million.

"It's great to be able to stay here in the city so I can be part of this change," Alexander said in a phone interview. "It's just great that I'm going to be a part of getting us back on the right track as far as winning games, getting back to the playoffs and giving the fans of D.C. what they deserve."

The contract, which Alexander said he plans to sign later this morning, includes $1.1 million guaranteed. In agreeing to terms on a multiyear extension, Alexander avoided simply receiving a one-year tender offer. "I definitely hoped that we could get something done with the team because this is where I want my family to be," Alexander said. "So now it's just time to get to work."

After displaying his versatility on the defensive and offensive lines and special teams, Alexander next season will add outside linebacker duties to his list of jobs.

"Yeah, I'm going to be playing outside linebacker in this new 3-4 system," he said. "It's going to be something different for me but I think I'll be able to handle it.

"I've been doing in my whole career, pretty much, whatever they've asked me to do. It's just another thing for the 'One Man Gang' to do, so I think I'm going to enjoy it and have a lot fun with it."

After reviewing tape of Alexander on kickoff coverage teams, the team's new coaching staff determined he could contribute at linebacker because Alexander changes direction and moves well in space. Alexander, who did not play linebacker in college at California, will use minicamps and OTAs to learn coverages and work on his coverage skills.

"Watching guys on film and knowing my athletic ability as well, I definitely have confidence I can do it," Alexander said. "And they wouldn't move me unless they thought I could do it.

"They've seen what I can do on special teams, as far as moving, changing direction, making tackles and making plays. Once I get the coverages down and understand how it works in this scheme, I'll be fine."

And how much will Alexander play at linebacker?

"I don't really know how they're going to do it yet," he said. "I know they mentioned maybe sometimes, when it's nickel, having me in a package where I'm playing a tackle position. But I don't quite know yet. I'm sure it'll all pan out as we start going. I'm just looking forward to it."

"They never really took care of the guys that put all the hard work in...I remember there were times when there wasn't nobody practicing but Ladell Betts and I, because CP didn't want to practice....And then they expect you to go out and perform on Sunday, and when you do go out and perform on Sunday, they never reward you."

Wow.

A guy who's earned close well over 5 million dollars playing football--of all things--feels his employer never took care of him.

This is like a porn star complaining about his sex life.

The sand has run to the bottom of Rock Cartwright's professional hour glass.

Everybody who is upset about the lack of FA activity is a total dumb@ss. I've never been more optimistic about the future of this team. Every time we signed a huge FA it was Snyder's doing, and that's why we have been a TERRIBLE team for the last ten years. Finally some sanity and reason have come to D.C.

"I mean, it's very frustrating when you go out there and you bust your tail day in and day out," Cartwright said. "You've been there and you've been consistent and you've been one of the guys, one of the core Redskins guys, and then they bring all these guys in and give them lucrative deals. And you're standing there, you're struggling -- not really to make ends meet -- but you're struggling because they never really took care of you"

Rock, STFU, would you please. They didn't take care of you?? How about the fact that they signed you to a deal when 31 other teams thought you were worthless....I hope this guy takes a lesson from Betts, and learns a little class........

I don't care who the Redskins release and who they sign, just so long as they keep JC17 and CP26 on the roster forever. These two outstanding players are the heart and soul of the team -- and could singlehandedly fill the stadiums with hundreds of thousands of adoring fans all ready to drop hundreds and thousands of dollars just to bask in their glory.

And why the hell does anyone think we were interested in Peppers in the first place? Because a rumor said it was so? If Shanny and Allen wanted him, they would have gotten him, no question about it. It's obvious they don't want another underachieving, overpaid veteran. Thank Christ!

rock, and rogers need lessons in selling themselves, and learning when to just shut their mouths. I'm literally STUNNED by rock making those comments....I mean,you have rock who at best was a marginal kick returner, and an even worse running back, then there is rogers who is a top 10 draft pick, who could easily be labeled a bust, more famous for his excuses why he didn't do something than for actually doing it, and they blame the redskins for thier lot in life.......complete and total victim mentality....

"And you're standing there, you're struggling -- not really to make ends meet -- but you're struggling because they never really took care of you"

And that is the crux of things. I can't for the life of me comprehend why these whiny millionaire ballers think the public is going to sympathize with them when they make these kinds of statements to the press. They've totally lost touch with reality.

Even if players do feel this way, the smart ones know that when it comes to the press, their best move is to keep their mouths shut, talk about how grateful they were for the chance to play and leave it at that.

Beacuse all those fans who paid to go see the SKins AND have trouble making ends meet are going to resent the stupid players that make millions of dollars and have the audacity to say crap like this.

Don't you know he's a "Core Redskin"? (Although he b*tched and moaned more in one season last year than Portis has his entire time here)

An irreplaceable leader on the team? (Again, he was the BIGGEST malcontent in the locker room last year. If he wasn't crying about losing his kick return duties he pissed away about Ganther starting at RB over him)

One of the top 10 Kick Returners in the league? (Despite NEVER taking one for six)

I was SO damn glad they released BOTH Collins and Cartwright. Maybe now people will shut the hell up about both of them.

red/moe, this is funny thats what this is....I mean, they signed Rock when 31 other teams had the chance to, and DID NOT...but somehow the team didn't take care of him....

maybe if he was a better player, maybe if he held onto the ball more, or scored more, maybe if Rogers was a catch the ball kind of guy, instead of a, act like its been dipped in cyanide kind of guy, he'd have been signed....this is just crazy talk...

Rock, STFU, would you please. They didn't take care of you?? How about the fact that they signed you to a deal when 31 other teams thought you were worthless....I hope this guy takes a lesson from Betts, and learns a little class........

Posted by: BeantownGreg1 | March 5, 2010 8:12 AM

I agree Greg, but I wouldn't call Rock classless...at least he waited until he was gone from the team to complain, unlike Carlos "Salad Tongs for Hands" Rogers who got tendered and still acted like a horse's ass.

It's a little misplaced coming from Rock, but I think the sentiment is why I want to see this team depart from the FA spending of years past...guys in the locker room get frustrated when they were drafted there and worked hard there, only to see some guy who earned his keep elsewhere get rewarded several times over.

So that's why I'm glad to see Peppers as far away from Redskins Park as possible. Giving him big money would only be a reward for him playing well in Carolina. He hasn't done a damn thing to get paid a king's ransom in D.C. Lo Alexander may be a fraction of the player Peppers is, but he's worked hard in burgundy and gold and he's being rewarded for it. That goes a long way toward building morale in the locker room and I'd bet the FO is earning the benefit of the doubt from the players as a result.

brown, sorry, but he needs to shut it, he's had an 8 year career as a 7th round draft pick...the team signed him when no one else gave him a SNIFF, not 1 of the 31 teams thought ANYTHING of him, not even a phone call to come in for a workout...now, when things aren't to his liking, he gets his axe to grind out??

Could care less if Rock complains about coaches, playing time or CP, but to come out and say "not really making ends meet" and "they did not really take care of you" please. Even the lowest paid FB players make decent money.

I agree Greg, but I wouldn't call Rock classless...at least he waited until he was gone from the team to complain

Posted by: brownwood26 | March 5, 2010 8:25 AM

Wrong, again. He was whining when he was a free agent that the Redskins didn't love him enough. He was whining when the Redskins signed him that he wasn't being paid enough. He was whining last year that they weren't using him enough at running back.

I agree Greg, but I wouldn't call Rock classless...at least he waited until he was gone from the team to complain, unlike Carlos "Salad Tongs for Hands" Rogers who got tendered and still acted like a horse's ass.

Posted by: brownwood26 | March 5, 2010 8:25 AM | Report abuse

"Classyness" aside, I'm just shocked at how delusional some of these guys are about themselves.

Seriously, I hope someone asks Rock how much he thinks he is worth? How much he thinks the Skins should have paid him.

Carlos Rogers' whining makes a little more sense to me b/c he wants to see how much he's worth in the FA market, and he's not getting that chance. But Rock DID get the chance to see how much he was worth on the market and the market told him that he was worth bupkiss!

I think it's great that they are taking care of Lorenzo Alexander, but I really don't understand the plan to have him play some part time outside linebacker. I would have thought he would have been a lock at a 3-4 defensive end - especially with his experience playing tackle. Is there such a thing as a goal line outside linebacker?

know what, If I'm Shanny, I get all the pissers and whiners outta dodge...you think for one second Belicheck would stand for this?? Not on your life...

cut rogers, f-the draft pick that some stupid team might send us...cut his backside TODAY....you're either for us, or against us...

Posted by: BeantownGreg1 | March 5, 2010 8:39 AM
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I love the thinking Bean, but I think it would be more satisfying to hold him and trade him to some perrenial loser. The whole idea of the tender was to get some value out of him. I would trade him today to KC for Brodie Croyle and a low round draft pick.

I think it's great that they are taking care of Lorenzo Alexander, but I really don't understand the plan to have him play some part time outside linebacker. I would have thought he would have been a lock at a 3-4 defensive end - especially with his experience playing tackle. Is there such a thing as a goal line outside linebacker?

Posted by: RedSkinHead | March 5, 2010 8:42 AM |

Did you hear Shanny or Haslett say he would play LB, if not I wouldn't believe it.

Greg, I 100% agree with what you're saying...all I'm saying is that the issues I outlined are probably the underlying issue he's referring to. Doesn't make it any less misplaced coming from him in particular, but the issue itself is very real (or at least it used to be).

Carlos Rogers' whining makes a little more sense to me b/c he wants to see how much he's worth in the FA market

p1 are you being serious? What team do you think would value his dropped interceptions, and raised hands as the receiver he was covering, scored....

Posted by: BeantownGreg1 | March 5, 2010 8:45 AM | Report abuse

I don't think any team out there would value him the way he values himself. I believe he is also delusional.

My point is that on the sliding scale of "Reasons to be a Whiny Malcontent" I think that someone who HAS had a chance to test the FA market has LESS reason to be a whiny malcontent that someone who HAS NOT had that chance.

I just wanted to point out a reason to brownwood as to why Rock is NOT behaving in a classier fashion than Rogers.

Could care less if Rock complains about coaches, playing time or CP, but to come out and say "not really making ends meet" and "they did not really take care of you" please. Even the lowest paid FB players make decent money.

F Rock and his poor me attitude.

Posted by: Curzon417 | March 5, 2010 8:34 AM | Report abuse

Your interpretation of his comment is just wrong. He said he was "And you're standing there, you're struggling -- not really to make ends meet -- but you're struggling because they never really took care of you." He was not talking about financial troubles at all. He is not talking about the way he felt he was treated.

Now I think the Redskins treated him fairly (at least). So I think that his negative comments are largely unfounded and misguided. Feel free to parse and review his comments; however, if you are going to criticize the man for his comments at least read his comments.

Gotta hold out hope on this... the OL needs three new players, not all are coming in the draft... so maybe... please, maybe signing Clifton doesn't mean taking a QB with the 4... still hoping to trade down for more picks in a deep draft...

Latest news about talking to the GREEN BAY LT CLIFTON tells me they are definitely thinking of a QB in the first round, not an o-lineman.

Posted by: glawrence007 | March 5, 2010 8:58 AM
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I am not so sure. One thing Shanahan and Allen have said is that they want to have lots of competition at every position. They might very well sign a QB next week and it won't mean anything more than they want competition at every position. I think going after a LT in free agency does give them some flexibility in the draft. One might say that by tendering Campbell they have pretty much decided that they don't want to take a QB in the first round. It does give them flexibility to do other things.

I don't care who the Redskins release and who they sign, just so long as they keep JC17 and CP26 on the roster forever. These two outstanding players are the heart and soul of the team -- and could singlehandedly fill the stadiums with hundreds of thousands of adoring fans all ready to drop hundreds and thousands of dollars just to bask in their glory.

Hey Vic1, I want some of what your are smoking! You are talking some good Shi! NOT!!!!